UW masters student creates energy, by bicycle

A recent UW masters student named Mark Pedri is producing a documentary aimed at evaluating which types of energy production are best, in terms of cost, environmental impact and other factors.

Pedri visited energy-producing facilities across Wyoming, including coal-fired power plants, wind farms, oil rigs and solar installations, and interviewed workers and managers. He traveled by bicycle, to make the project more exciting for himself and for his audience.

“The idea of energy is relatively boring if you’re not interested in it to begin with,” Pedri said, “so I wanted to bring in a sense of adventure.”

He says the conclusions he reached while researching the project will be evident in the movie.

“I did make a decision on what I think is the best type of energy,” Pedri said, “and I think a lot of people that watch the film are going to agree, whether they already have an idea or not. And it’s not your stereotypical decision that you’d think.”

Pedri won’t say which type of energy production he came to favor most – you’ll have to watch the movie to find out. But he says he doesn’t want to force his own opinions on his audience anyway; he hopes the film will help them form more educated opinions of their own.